The pageantry and parades that were once part of Mardi Gras in Opelousas are being revived as the recently formed Opelousas Imperial Mardi Gras Association sponsors a formal ball and celebration that begins this weekend.

Opelousas’ Mardi Gras season receives its official stamp when the association hosts an inaugural ball at the Delta Grand where the first King Imperial and Queen Lily reign over ceremonies that start Saturday at 7 p.m.

Then, several weeks later on Mardi Gras Day, the association will host a parade that moves down East Landry Street starting at 10 a.m.

That parade, which will moved back on Vine Street to the Vieux Village Center, is preceded two days before on March 3 by an annual horse parade sponsored by District 40 state Rep. Dustin Miller. The event, known as the “chicken parade,” features men and women riding horses. The parade is scheduled to start at the Yambilee Building west of Opelousas and continue eastward through many of the city’s streets.

Jonathan Sebastien, one of several organizers for the non-profit Imperial Mardi Gras, said with the cooperation of Opelousas city officials and parish government, the series of events will attempt to capture the spirit the city once experienced.

“We originally had the Krewe of Corinth in the 1970s and again in the 1990s there was the Crew of Korne," Sebastien said. "That was the last time there was really a group that got together for a true series of Mardi Gras events.

“Later, for about 15 years, we had an Opelousas business, Frank’s, which sponsored a parade on Mardi Gras Day. Last year, we had nothing in the city as Frank’s was changing owners and that eventually inspired some of us in the city to get together and form an association that would sponsor festivities that included the ball, a royal court and then a parade that will have floats.

“During our meetings," Sebastien continued, "we decided that if we were going to do this at all, we were going to do it right. So at the ball, we’re going to have a band, with members of a royal court and tables that would be purchased by local businesses.

“Our attempt at promoting the ball has gone really well. We’ve planned for 12 tables and we’ve already sold 11. The sponsors of the table can decorate them as they want to,” Sebastien concluded.

Individual tickets for the ball are $50 apiece, he said.

Miller, whose election district includes almost all of St. Landry Parish, is the initial King Imperial. Kristy Boagni is the first Queen Lily.

Other members of the first official court include Duke Pride and Dutchess Precious from the House of Doran, Tim and Ashley from the House of Marks and Jeremy and Vera from the House of Nagy.

Sebastien said the eventual plan is for the Imperial Association to help to sprout other Mardi Gras associations that will hold separate events as a sort of umbrella effect.

“All our organizers are stakeholders in Opelousas’ community,” Sebastien said, "and what we want to do is invigorate what was happening originally when there was splendor.

“This association now is attempting to be more of an all-inclusive group that is going to work together to keep this first effort moving forward."